


Footballs and Pom Poms

by whimsicalMedley



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Cheerleader Piper, F/F, Fluff, Football Player Annabeth, LGBTQ Themes, Mutual Pining, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 14:27:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9495722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsicalMedley/pseuds/whimsicalMedley
Summary: In which Piper McLean, cheerleading captain of Goode High, pines over the quarterback of the football team, Annabeth Chase.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I saw an article on a girl getting onto her high school's football team and her cheerleader girlfriend kissed her, and my brain got out of hand. I also really like percabeth and jiper, but like??? This is so cute??? Also if this is OOC at all, I apologize, I don't write for Piper or Annabeth often.
> 
> Enjoy.
> 
> (P.S. If enough people like it, I might expand on this. Tell me if I should!)

Piper McLean met Annabeth Chase when they were seven years old.

Piper and her father had been walking to their house, when she heard a sniffle from the alley close to them. Releasing her dad’s hand without a second thought, Piper ran towards the sound. Ignoring the cry of “Pipes, stop!”, she almost stepped on another person. Looking down, Piper saw that it was a girl about her age, with a head of curly honey blonde hair.

“Hey, are you okay?”

The girl jumped, and her face snapped upwards to Piper’s. Her face was blotchy with tears, and her eyes were red, but she was still  _ really _ pretty. Gray eyes blinked up at her, and she hastily wiped her cheeks.

“Fine.” She muttered, and Piper’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Where’s your mommy and daddy? Aren’t they worried that you’re alone?”

This question seemed to strike a nerve, and the girl’s eyes hardened.

“My family hates me. I ran away.” The words were harsh, but her voice wobbled. Piper’s heart ached.

“Well, you could always come stay with me! Me and daddy have a lot of room at our house.” Piper exclaimed, and the girl looked at her warily.

“I don’t think that’s—”

“Piper, there you are!” Her dad had finally arrived, and it only took him a second to notice the girl sitting on the concrete, “who is this?”

“This is…um, what’s your name?” Piper asked suddenly, turning to the blonde.

“…Annabeth.” She whispered.

“This is Annabeth, daddy, and she’s coming to live with us!” Tristan McLean blinked in surprise, and knelt down near Annabeth.

“Is something wrong, Annabeth? Where’s your family?” He asked gently, but Annabeth merely shook her head.

“She said that they hate her, and that she ran away.” Piper muttered to her father, and his eyes softened.

“You can come with us, get yourself cleaned up. You  _ do _ know that you’ll need to go back home at some point though, right?”

Annabeth nodded slowly.

“This wasn’t the smartest idea…” She said, and Tristan laughed.

“C’mon Annabeth, after you get cleaned up we can play in my room!” Piper offered the blonde her hand, her smile wide. Annabeth noticed she was missing her two front teeth. Annabeth gripped her hand and hauled herself up.

That was the beginning of everything.

* * *

 

Ten years later, the two girls were inseparable. You wouldn’t see one without the other for longer than five minutes, and they liked it that way. After that day in the alley, Annabeth would come over to the McLean household practically every day. As the years went on, more and more of Annabeth’s things were at Piper’s house, and eventually, Annabeth only stayed at the Chase residence on weekends. Nobody minded the arrangement. Piper’s dad loved Annabeth like she was his second daughter, the Chase family didn’t care about Annabeth enough to be concerned, and Piper, well…she loved Annabeth too.

Piper wasn’t sure how it had started, but one day she looked at Annabeth while she was immersed in a book, and thought  _ “I love you.”  _ It scared the shit out of her, if she was being completely honest. She didn’t know how to deal with it. Annabeth was her best friend, the girl she’d do anything for, who was also  _ extremely  _ straight.

“Just tell her Pipes,  _ honestly.  _ Watching you pine is getting annoying, hermana.

Piper jumped, successfully brought out of her thoughts by the annoying Leo Valdez. Annabeth was sitting at another table in the library, working hard on her college essay, and Piper didn’t want to distract her (considering she was always trying to get Annabeth’s attention one way or another, it would probably happen). She hadn’t been staring at the blonde. She  _ hadn’t. _

“Shut up!” Piper hissed, smacking Leo’s arm, “why do I even hang out with you?”

From across the table, Jason smirked.

“Because you have no one else to talk to about your obsession?”

“Oh fuck off, Grace.” Piper groaned, rubbing her temples, “you’re both awful.”

“C’mon Piper, we just want you to be happy! And that happiness happens to lie with the extremely hot and sexy Annabeth Chase.” Leo laughed, wiggling his eyebrows. Piper glared at him.

“Don’t talk about her like that, she’s not something to goggle at.”

“Really? Then why are you always—” Jason was cut off at the look Piper sent him, and he raised his arms in peace.

“Anyway,” Piper started, glaring at the two boys, “has Coach Hedge decided whether or not Annabeth is on the team?”

Jason, who was on the football team, bit his lip.

“He said he’d be announcing the team today. Percy and Frank don’t care if she gets on, considering they’re her friend, but some of the guys…” Jason trailed off, his eyes troubled.

“Are Annabeth and I going to have to kick someone’s ass?” Piper asked quietly, a dangerous edge to her voice.

“Nah, I think Percy can handle that. He  _ is _ one of her best friends.” Leo commented, and Piper nodded after considering it.

Percy and Annabeth were really close. They had briefly dated freshman year, but decided that they worked much better as friends. Piper had been jealous when they were together, so she hadn’t been the nicest to Percy, but she realized now that Percy was actually pretty cool. Piper would invite him over on Saturdays to watch movies and talk about girls (for Piper, that meant Annabeth).

A sudden bang made Piper jump, and she looked up to see Annabeth setting her books down and sliding into the seat next to her.

“Hey guys.”

“Finish your essay from hell?” Piper asked, and Annabeth groaned, her head hitting the table.

“No, not even close. I’m dying, Pipes.  _ Dying. _ ” Piper laughed, ignoring the way her cheeks turned pink when Annabeth called her Pipes. This was all she needed. She didn’t need more from Annabeth, not when she wasn’t willing to give it.

_ Keep telling yourself that, McLean. _

* * *

 

The football team was posted on the school’s bulletin board in the main hallway.

Annabeth was sprinting towards it, dragging a wheezing Piper behind her.

“Hurry up Pipes, I need to see if I made it!” Annabeth laughed, and Piper made a face.

“Slow down Beth, I’m…fucking dying…Jesus Christ…” Piper panted, finally slowing as they reached the board.

Piper quickly scanned the paper, silently praying to see Annabeth’s name on it.

“Good job, kid.” The girls turned to see Coach Hedge, who was showing a slightly aggressive smile, “I look forward to seeing you on the field."

After he walked away, Piper turned to Annabeth, and then quickly to the list.

“…Annabeth Chase, starting quarterback!” Piper squealed, and Annabeth’s eyes lit up.

“You did it, Beth! You’re on the team!” Annabeth laughed loudly at Piper’s words, grabbed the brunette, and pulled her into a hug that lifted her off her feet.

“I did it!”

* * *

 

As head cheerleader for Goode High, Piper got to practice while the football team did. Which meant she got to cheer for her friends. Also watch Annabeth practice.

And  _ goddamn. _

Annabeth moved with a grace and purpose that none of the others could really match. She knew what she was doing. It almost looked like dancing, until she tackled a boy that was rushing her. More than once, Piper had gotten distracted by admiring how Annabeth’s butt looked in the uniform.

“McLean!”

Piper jumped and turned to her team. Drew Tanaka was smirking at her, and she internally groaned. Piper and Drew had gotten off to a rocky start, but eventually developed a mutual respect for each other. That didn’t mean she couldn’t be annoying.

“Stop staring at your eye candy and start drilling.” Piper flushed, and glared at her angrily.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The seventeen year old huffed, and began her drills.

By the end of practice, everyone was red in the face and sweaty. Piper jogged over to where her bag was, grabbing her water bottle and pouring the contents over her head. The summer heat hadn’t gone away yet, which was annoying, considering it was almost October.

When Piper got out of the locker room, she was surprised to see Percy standing there.

“Hey Jackson, waiting for Annabeth?” She called, and Percy shook his head.

“I was wondering if you wanted to go get some food, actually.” He replied, a mischievous smirk on his face. Piper regarded him warily.

“Sure? Let me go tell Annabeth to take the car home.”

After Percy nodded, Piper went back inside.

“Annabeth?” She called, and the blonde walked towards her, seemingly unbothered to be in just a towel. Piper gulped.

“I uh—Percy asked if I wanted to go get food, so…” She trailed off, trying her best to not stare.

“Alright. I’ll take the keys.” Annabeth said easily, and Piper hurriedly tossed the keys in Annabeth’s general direction, almost sprinting out of the locker room.

“Alright, ready to go!” Piper said shrilly, once she made it over to Percy, who snorted.

“Your face is bright red. Was Annabeth naked or something?” He asked teasingly, and Piper shoved him.

“Shut it Jackson.”

* * *

 

Percy drove them to Piper’s favorite diner. After ordering, he turned to her.

“So, are you going to admit that you’re madly in love with Annabeth yet, or will the entire school have to suffer in silence?”

Piper choked on her drink.

“What the—no!” She exclaimed, “in case you haven’t noticed, Annabeth Chase is straight as an arrow.”

Percy rolled his eyes, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like “and people call me dense.”

Piper narrowed her eyes and threw a napkin at him.

“No, I’m serious! She won’t stop talking about you, you’re joined at the hip, and she looks at you like you’re a goddess. She likes you.” Percy sighed.

“…She talks about me?” Piper asked quietly, and he nodded.

“All the time. “Piper and I did this!” or “Piper helped me with this, she’s so smart!” I’m telling you, as one of her best friends, she’s into you.” Piper fought the urge to smile.  _ Annabeth Chase _ talked about her to the football team.

Their food came soon after, and Piper bit into her salad with a sigh.

“Listen, I want to believe it, I really do. But I just can’t risk it. She’s my best friend. I don’t want it to get weird.” Piper said, and Percy sighed in resignation.

“Fine. But you’re missing out.”

* * *

 

“Do you like your dress?” Piper asked, and Annabeth laughed, throwing a pillow at her from her bed.

“Yes, for the millionth time. Thanks for helping me pick it out.” She replied, and Piper smiled. The dress for homecoming that Annabeth had picked out was long and strapless, the color reminiscent of the moon. It hugged all of Annabeth’s curves, and Piper had to admit, her heart had stopped when she saw her in it.

“Do you like  _ yours?” _ Annabeth asked, snapping Piper out of her thoughts. Piper’s dress, on the other hand, went to her mid thigh, and was a light purple. The second she had seen it, Piper knew that she had to get it.

“Yeah! I think I look really nice in it.” Piper said happily.

“You look beautiful in it, Pipes.” Annabeth replied, skimming through a book, and Piper’s face lit up.

“Thanks, Beth. You do too.”

Annabeth smiled at Piper widely, and she took a deep breath.

_ You’re so fucked. _

“Anyway,” the brunette started, “the homecoming game is tomorrow. Nervous?”

“Not at all.” Annabeth said determinedly, her gray eyes steely, “we’re going to crush the other team, just watch.”

“Good, the girls need to work on the victory cheers.” Piper joked, and Annabeth laughed.

Piper loved her laugh.

* * *

 

There was ten seconds left in the game, and Goode high needed a touchdown.

Piper and the girls were cheering their butts off. Piper watched nervously as the team regrouped, hoping for the best. They were twenty yards away from the touchdown.

The whistle sounded, and they were off.

The ball was suddenly in Annabeth’s hands, and she was sprinting. The boys were tackling everyone in her way, and Goode high was cheering loudly

“GO ANNABETH!” She heard Hazel Levesque cry.

The crowd was suddenly chanting Annabeth’s name, and by sheer luck, she made a touchdown as the buzzer sounded. Noise exploded from the stands. Percy and Jason grabbed Annabeth and hauled her onto their shoulders, and Piper jumped over the fence and onto the field.

“You did it!” She shouted when she was close enough, and Annabeth lowered herself to the ground and took her helmet off. She was red in the face, sweaty, and Piper had never seen anything more beautiful. She rushed towards Annabeth and threw her arms around her, and Annabeth laughed loudly.

“That was amazing, I can’t believe you—” Piper started, but then was cut off as Annabeth leaned in and kissed her.

Piper was frozen for a second, but then melted. Kissing Annabeth was fireworks and laughter, it was whispered secrets and smiles, it was warmth, sunshine, and  _ home. _

When they broke apart, breathing heavily, Piper realized that the entire school had started cheering for an entirely different reason.

“FINALLY!” Leo shouted, and everyone laughed.

“I seriously thought you were straight.” Piper said, and Annabeth snorted, pressing their foreheads together.

“Pipes, do I seem straight to you?”

“Not anymore.” Piper laughed, and leaned in to kiss her again.

“Be my homecoming date?” Annabeth asked finally, and Piper smirked.

“On one condition,” she said, and Annabeth’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, “I get to be your girlfriend too.”

The blonde pretended to deliberate for a moment, before smiling.

“Deal.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell at me on tumblr: heroic-hufflepuff


End file.
